Gentian
by shoueki
Summary: Gentians are medicinal plants so that means they could be used to heal illnesses. It could even heal emotional ones. Who needs to be treated? You have to read to find out (one-shot)


Gentian  
  
Author: Shoueki  
  
~~+*+~~  
  
Snow covered the streets of Tokyo. The temperature of the air was way past bearable. Many people have decided to stay in the sanctuary of their homes. Going out in this kind of weather was really quite risky. So the streets were empty, except for those who were going home from work. Amidst the small crowd, a certain figure was standing out. The figure was of a young man. Upon closer inspection, we could note that he was quite...pale and he had striking red hair. His eyes were of an unearthly color, amethyst. To say that this man is gorgeous is an understatement, but that word was the only adjective near fit to describe the beauty that he is. He could also be described as exotic, but the scowl on his face kept onlookers at bay.  
  
The weather seemed to be complementing the scowl on the young man's face. The people who were walking a while ago have started running. It wouldn't be nice to be caught by the winds fury. All of them, including the young man, were running to the nearest establishment they could reach. The wrath of the snow would not be able to reach them there. And if maybe they were lucky, they might be able to use the phone to call their loved ones. And so off they went.  
  
They were running in all directions just to get to a 'safe place'. A few of them ended up in a restaurant. They would be able to find a phone there. The others ended up in small variety shops; while the young man ended up in a small Chinese shop know for its herbs.  
  
~~+*+~~  
  
When Aya arrived in the shop, he quickly dusted himself. He was covered from head to toe and there were also snowflakes IN his white trench coat. He took it off to dust it and then he noticed that the shop was quite warm. His eyes started to roam on his surroundings. There were shelves on the left and right side of the walls and in the middle was a counter. There was a cash register on the left side and a small box on the right side. He then looked at the shelves. They held small jars with some kind of leaves in them. The walls behind the shelves were colored in different earth tones that gave the shop a 'comfy atmosphere'. The lights were also orange so the 'comfyness' about the shop was emphasized. Aya was interrupted from his observations when an old man appeared behind the counter.  
  
"Ah, young man, what can I help you with?" the man asked.  
  
Aya could tell from the accent of the old man that he was a foreigner.  
  
[Chinese?] Aya thought.  
  
"Do you need herbs?" the old man asked him politely.  
  
[Herbs?] That was when Aya realized that he was in an herb store. He just came from the hospital to visit his imouto and then he ended up in this herb store. Aya was just about to reply that he only ran in the shop because of the 'snow storm' that was about to start, but the old man beat him to it.  
  
"Ah, I see, you were finding a warm place?"  
  
Aya only nodded.  
  
"Okay, then don't just stand there. Come in. have a seat." The old man motioned to the chair near the shelves.  
  
"Just wait here. I'll just get a warm drink." Then the old man disappeared through the door behind the counter.  
  
Aya could only blink at the man's hospitality. The man was offering him a drink and he didn't even know his name. What if he was a killer!? Wait, don't answer that, but the point was, the man shouldn't just invite strangers into his home...or shop, whatever. He was then brought out of his musings when the old man appeared with a tray with a kettle and two cups on it.  
  
"Here have some tea." The man said.  
  
Aya was looking at the man for nay sign of being an enemy when the man spoke as if reading his mind.  
  
"There is no poison in here. Look." With that, the man poured tea into the cups and drank from on of it.  
  
"See?"  
  
Aya nodded and took a sip from the offered tea.  
  
[This is good tea.] Aya mussed.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" the man asked.  
  
"Hn." Aya answered. Answering in monosyllables seemed to frighten other people but Aya noticed that the man was unfazed by his hostility.  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
Aya thought for a minute before answering.  
  
"Aya."  
  
"Hello Aya, I'm Wu. Can I ask how old you are?"  
  
Why was this man asking questions like that? Aya was really suspicious. What if this man was really an old perverted gay man? Aya decided to ice up his tone more so that the man might take the hint and just leave him the hell alone.  
  
"21."  
  
"Wow, you're so young.  
  
Aya only glared at Wu. If he were indeed an old perverted gay man, then hen would certainly chop him to pieces.  
  
"I was just wondering..." Wu started.  
  
"Why someone so young could look as if he hated the world."  
  
That statement had caught Aya off-guard.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I can see it in you're eyes. You're not really angry, you're just sad."  
  
[How could he say that!?] Aya was not really for that and he really wondered why this man, Wu, was able to read him like an open book whilst others couldn't.  
  
"I can see that you're downhearted right now. Don't worry, I have the perfect medicine for you."  
  
Then the man reached for the small box on the right side of the table and handed it to Aya. There was a name on the box. Directions too.  
  
"Gentian." Aya read out (unconsciously) loud.  
  
"Yes, Gentian."  
  
"It is the remedy for downheartedness and despondency that follows when something has gone wrong. Gentian could be used to lift downheartedness sooner that just hoping it will do so."  
  
Aya was felling slightly uncomfortable with the information that he was just handed.  
  
[Gentian... is the remedy for downheartedness?]  
  
Then without any warning, Aya got up from his chair and walked towards the door.  
  
"Where are you going? Aren't you getting this? It's free." Wu said while pointing at the abandoned box.  
  
"No."  
  
"Why?" Wu was really confused. How could anyone ignore freebies?  
  
"Because I know where to find the best Gentian." With that thought in mind, Aya started to walk in the direction of the Koneko.  
  
Wu could only stare at the young man in disbelief.  
  
"Kids nowadays, he doesn't even know the proper procedures on how to prepare It." He said as he chuckled to himself.  
  
~~+*+~~  
  
A/N:  
  
-- So how was it? Was it bad? Good? Please tell me ^_^  
  
-- I was supposed to post this during Christmas time but the notebook I written it on got lost and it only appeared now. n_n;  
  
-- I wonder what the "best Gentian" could be. I'll give a cookie to anyone who could guess. ^_^  
  
-- I'm not saying that downhearted people should go ahead and eat a Gentian or something. And besides it's safer to consult a doctor first before doing anything drastic. I just gathered this information when I was surfing the net about medicinal plants. I can't remember the name of the website though. n_n;  
  
-- There you go! My first ever one-shot. (Dunno why I made this a one-shot though.)  
  
-- And about my other fics. Please bear with me. Once I get my muse for either on of them back, I promise I'll update immediately.  
  
-- Feedbacks are greatly appreciated. ^_^  
  
Ja ne,  
  
Shoueki 


End file.
